The Terrific3 travel blog

I last saw the Taj Mahal when I was about my kids’ age and don’t remember a whole lot other than thinking it was beautiful and crowded and magnificently created and a very hot day. Funny the visceral memories of your childhood travels.

So when the tour company asked me about when we wanted to go, I told them sunrise before it got super super crowded.

Since we were up 2-3am anyways, sunrise wasn’t so hard to do. We met our local tour guide, Gautham, in our lobby, and drive the 2 min to the Taj. Vehicles are not allowed near it to protect the white marble from gas fumes and pollution, so we took an electric open door car with about 15 other people to the area and then walked a tee minutes. Our guide, initially quite reserved, warmed up to the silly boys and was incredible at telling us the history. The boys had lots of questions and he had all the answers. He was also a great photographer. All 3 of us were awed by the magnificent Taj Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor shah jahan for his beloved wife, mum-taz after she died in childbirth of their 14th child. It is a mausoleum bearing her tomb and then his, after his death. It took 22 years and 20,000 people to build the Taj Mahal in a time there were no cranes or large tools. All the work is intricate and hand carved. It is truly gorgeous.

After about 2 hours at Taj Mahal, we went to the great Agra Fort, where 300 years of emperors lived as they ruled India. The architecture there was a fusion of both Muslim/Mughal and Hindu/Indian inspired.

Our last stop was the “baby Taj Mahal,” called so by the people of Agra, which was built as a mausoleum a few years before the Taj Mahal, and it’s architectural style inspired the Taj. The marble came from the same place.

Our last stop, at my request, was a local mithai shop to buy some Indian sweets. They were oh so delicious. I couldn’t convince the boys to eat out for lunch so we ate in the hotel, but I think I’ve decided I’m making more executive decisions once we are not jet lagged as I didn’t come here to only eat in hotels. The hotel food is perfectly fine, but I prefer more local exploration. Today we did need to prioritize more chill times since we are so tired, though I don’t want us to nap as we need to just get used to the new circadian rhythm.

After lunch, Z discovered the hotel pool is far from heated and S at least tried. I was too chicken. I’m hoping for a lifting session in the gym later if the kids let me. It’s 2pm today and we are hoping to go to bed by 630-7. This was our only day in Agra. We head to Jaipur